New Delhi, February 21: The Union Cabinet has decided to increase the sugarcane procurement price to Rs 340/quintal from Rs 315/quintal, Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur announced. The decision was taken at the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, late on Wednesday, February 21. The Union Cabinet also approved a proposal of continuation of implementation of Umbrella Scheme on "Safety of Women" during the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
The Union Cabinet approved 'Fair and Remunerative Price' (FRP) of sugarcane payable by sugar factories for sugar season 2024-25 (October-September) and fixed the FRP of sugarcane at Rs 340 per quintal. The procurement price will only increase for the crops with a recovery rate of 10.25. "At 107% higher than A2+FL cost of sugarcane, the new FRP will ensure prosperity of sugarcane farmers," said the government.
Umbrella Scheme On 'Safety of Women':
The Union Cabinet approved the proposal to continue the following projects under the Umbrella Scheme for "Safety of Women":
- 112 Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) 2.0;
- Upgradation of Central Forensic Sciences laboratories, including setting up of National Forensic Data Centre;
- Strengthening of DNA Analysis, Cyber Forensic capacities in State Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs);
- Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children;
- Capacity building and training of investigators and prosecutors in handling sexual assault cases against women and children; and
- Women Help Desk & Anti-human Trafficking Units
The scheme will cost Rs 1179.72 crore of which a total of Rs 885.49 crore will be provided by MHA from its own budget and Rs.294.23 crore will be funded from Nirbhaya Fund.
The Union Cabinet also approved further modification of National Livestock Mission by including the additional activities. The amendment in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy on space sector was also approved during the Union Cabinet meeting.
"The proposed reforms seek to liberalize the FDI policy provisions in space sector by prescribing liberalized entry route and providing clarity for FDI in Satellites, Launch Vehicles and associated systems or subsystems, Creation of Spaceports for launching and receiving Spacecraft and manufacturing of space related components and systems," said the government.
